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(m3 Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' A. BRADLEY. PAPER FOLDING MACHINE.

.No. 521,083. Patented June 5, 1894.

OOO QOQG (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. BRADLEY. PAPER FOLDING MAGHINB.

No. 521,083. Patented June 5, 1894.

7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No M de1.)

A. BRADLEY. PAPER FOLDIIIG: MACHINE.

Patented June 5, 1894.

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WASH

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-SheefiA.

A. BRADLEY. 1 PAPER FOLDING MACHINE.

No. 521,083. Patented June '5, 1894.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

A. BRADLEY. PAPER FOLDING MACHINE.

Patented June 5, 1894.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

A. BRADLEY. PAPER FOLDING MACHINE.

No. 521,083. Patented June 5,1894.

FIGJZ.

(No Model.) 7 .Sh eets--Sheet 7f.

A. BRADLEY. PAPER FOLDING MACHINE. No. 521,083 Patented June 5, 1894.

FIGJS I t 1 I L a P607 10 6 FIG.I4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED BRADLEY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO LEONARD UPCOTT GILL, OFSAME PLACE.

PAPER-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,083, dated June 5,1894. Application filed May 23, 1893. Serial No. 475.257- (No model.)Patented in England July 1892, No. 13,521.

T0 at whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, ALFRED BRADLEY, a subect of the Queen of Great Britain, 'residing at 172 Elms Road, London,S. W., Eng

land, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFolding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

British Patent No. 13,521, dated July 25, 1892, was granted for thisinvention.

The invention has reference to foldingmachines such as are used forfolding newspa pers, pamphlets or other sheets of papers of eight orsixteen pages and where the sheets are fed to adjustable stops or gagesor for over or under pointing.

The chief object of this invention is to avoid curling the edges of thesheet while being fed (thereby obtaining accelerated speed) and also toobtain the sheets evenly piled or knocked-up delivered direct from thefolding rollers without the use of carrying tapes or-the necessity oftwisting or turning the I sheets.

In machines where the pile of paper to be folded is placed on ahorizontal table or bank and is thence lifted or drawn sheet by sheet onto a horizontal folding board, as is commonly in use, the act of drawingthe sheet through the air and along the horizontal surface of thefolding board, causes the front and forward edges of the sheet to curlupward and to accumulate air between the under surface of the sheet andthe folding board, thus bringing the sheet to a rest unsteadily andcausing many sheets to miss being folded at the proper time or to befolded untruly and with uneven edges. For the purpose of avoiding thisloss of speed and accuracy I provide a sloping table orbank for holdingthe pile of paper to be folded. From this table or bank the sheets aredrawn on to the folding board, which has a further declination. Thefront edge of the sheet, being thus at a continuously declining angle tothe resistance when being drawn through the air, is kept down intransit, cuts the air from between its under surface and the sur-' faceofthe folding board and rests firmly before an inclined folding knifedescends.

For the purpose of folding sheets of eight pages requiring two folds, Iplace an inclined folding knife and rollers, which form and direct thefirst fold, with their length at the same angle or declination as andparallel with the front edge of the folding board, whereby the operatorin drawing the sheet to the gages does not pass either hand beneath theinclined folding knife edge, and the inclined folding knife and rollerswhich form and direct the second fold are placed at right angles to theinclined folding knife and rollers which form the first fold. When thefolded sheet passes through the second fold rollers of a machine forfolding eight pages, it is in the desired position for delivery, 2'. a,nearly upright with its back folded edge forward. To secure directdelivery without carrying, twisting or turning the sheet, I provide aninclined adjustable facing bar or guide at the point of delivery fromthe rollers in order to steady the sheet until it reaches by its ownmomemtuin the opposite face of a right angled sloping gathering troughplaced at right angles to the delivery rollers for receiving the foldedsheets. The slope of this trough falling away from the rollers preventsthe sheet from rebounding. At the moment the folded edge of the sheetreaches the face of the gathering trough, an adjustable pusher forcesthe sheet past shallow stops, which prevent the sheet returning in theway of the delivery of the next sheet, and is so added to the pile ofwork in the gathering trough.

For the purpose of folding sheets of sixteen pages requiring threefolds, I follow the foregoing plan to the end of the second fold,

where I place the inclined folding knife and rollers which form anddirect the third or last fold at right angles to the second and placethe gathering or knocking-up trough in suitable position to receive thesheets.

The inclined folding knives, rollers and pusherfare actuated by rods andcams connected with a driving bar moved by any ordinary power.

My invention consists in features of novel construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed. And in order that my said invention may be moreclearly understood and readily carried into efiect, I will proceed,aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully to describe the same.

IOG

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end view, Fig. 2 is a back view and Fig.3 is a plan or top View of a two-fold folding machine constructedaccording to my invention. Fig. 4 is a plan of parts drawn in a planeparallel with that of the folding table, but with the sheet carryingtable and folding table removed. Fig. 5 is a front view of parts. Fig. 6is a plan and Fig. 7 is an edge view separately of a guide stop or gageadj ustably fixed on the folding table. Fig. 8 is a front view, Fig. 9is a sectional edge view and Fig. 10 is a back view of the packerpresser separately. Fig. 11 is a front view of parts of a three foldfolding machine. Fig. 12 is an end View of parts drawn in aplaneparallel to that passing through the rollers h h. Fig. 13 is anelevation of some of the lower parts at the left end of the machinedrawn in a vertical plane. Fig. 14 is a plan of parts giving motion tothe packing presser, and Fig. 15 is a sectional plan showing the rollers7Lh,S11pport 7' and lower support s. Fig. 16 is a back view and Fig. 17is a transverse section of the packer presser in its expanded position.

In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters ofreference.

I will first describe the two-fold folding machine, which is representedat Figs. 1 to 10.

a is the framing,b the driving shaft, and c the cam shaft. The drivingshaft b receives motion from a strap or band not shown passing aroundthe pulley or driver I) and communicates motion to the cam shaft 0 bypinion b taking into a toothed wheel 0' on the cam shaft 0.

d is the table or bank for holding the pile of paper to be folded and eis the folding board.

According to my invention I fix the table (I at a gentle or slightincline and the folding board e at a greater incline. By these means thefront edge of the sheet, being supported in the pile at a decliningangle, and when being drawn through the air on to the folding board,being at a further declining angle to the resistance of the air, is keptdown in transit, cuts the air from between its under surface and thesurface of the folding board e and comes to rest firmly before theinclined folding knife f descends.

The inclined folding knifefis carried by armsf mounted on an axis f andit is operated by means of a cam f acting upon a truck f carried by alink f connected to a curved lever f 7 fixed to the axis f The lowerpart f of the link f is forked and fits or straddles the cam shaft 0 bywhich it is guided, the weight of the inclined folding knife f and partsconnected therewith acting to keep the truck f against its cam f Theinclined foldingknife f presses the center of the sheet to be foldeddown through an opening e in the folding table and into the grip of apair of inclined rollers g g, which, by the aid of tapes g g passingpartly around them and partly around smaller inclined rollers g 9 guidethe singly folded sheet down into position between the inclined rollers7171. and the second inclined folding knife t' and on to an inclinedsupport j between adjustable regulating guidesj'y", when the inclinedfolding knife i is caused to move forward and press the singly foldedsheet into the grip of the rollers h h, at the same time releasing itfrom the gripof the tapes g g. The rollers g 9 receive rotary motion bymeans of a belt g passing partly around a pulley g on the drivingshaft 1) and partly around a pulley g on one of the rollers g g, andmotion is communicated from the one roller 9 to the other by means oftoothed gearing g g. The rollers h it receive rotary motion by means ofa belt not shown passing partly around the pulley h on the driving shaftZ) and partly around a pulley h on the end of one of the rollers h,motion being transmitted from one roller h to the other by toothedgearing 7L3.

The second inclined folding knife 1 is carried by a frame 2" mounted inguides t 7. and it receives to and fro motion by means of a cam i on thecam shaft 0 acting againstthe edge of a lever i mounted at its lower endon an axis 2' and connected at its upper end by link i with the inclinedfolding knife Z, a weight i on a crank arm i of the lever t acts to keepsuch lever up to its cam.

When the sheet of paper has been pressed by the inclined folding knife71 into the grip of the rollers h h, the latter intheir rotation carrythe doubly folded sheet past an inclined adjustable facing bar or guide7c situated at the point of delivery from the rollers h h, which guidesteadies the sheet until it reaches by its own momentum the oppositeface of a right angled sloping gathering trough I placed at right anglesto the delivery rollers h for receiving the folded sheets. The slope ofthis trough Z, by falling away from the rollers it, prevents the foldedsheet from rebounding. At the moment the folded edge of the sheetreaches the face Z of the gathering trough, an adj ustahle pusher mforces the sheet past shallow stops it, n, 0 and p, which prevent thesheet from returning in the way of the delivery of the next sheet, andso adds it to the pile of work in the gathering trough. The stops it 'nare provided with means for vertical, lateral and radial adj ustlnentindependently of each other to suit the inclination of the folded sheet.

Thepusher m is attached to the end of a rod, one part m of which isformed of square section and is guided in a correspondingly shapedbearing m while the other part m is of'circular section and is guided ina bearing m This pusher m receives to and fro motion in the followingmanner. On the part m of its rod is fixed a collar carrying a pin mwhich passes through the slotted end of the arm m of a crank levermounted on an axis m and whose other arm wa is connected by link on withthe upper end of a lever in whose lower end is mounted on an axis m" andwhose edge is acted upon by a cam m The part m of the pusher rod hasalso attached thereto an arm m to which one end of a cord 'm is fixed,which cord, after passng over a guide pulley m has attached to 1ts otherend a weight m which acts to give motlon to the pusher in the contrarydirection to that given by the cam m q is a weighted movable stop placedin the sloping trough Z which serves as the end of the trough, againstwhich the folded sheets are packed but which will give way and trav'elalong the trough as the stock of folded sheets accumulates. v

e e are adjustable stops or gages near the lower edge of the foldingtable 6 and e is another adjustable stop or gage near the front edge ofthe said table, against which each sheet is brought so as to secure thecorrect incllned folding thereof by the folding knife f. The stop orgage a shown separately at Figs. 6 and 7, is made with an inclinedoverhanging front edge 6 underneath which the edge of the sheet to befolded is placed, and such part e terminates at its connection with thebody of said gage with a vertical face 6 against which the sheet isbrought, and such face a in addition to acting as a gage, prevents thesheet from being jammed in the wedge formed space between the part 6 andthe folding table e.

e e are adjustable points carried by jointed armsc e pinjointed tocarriers c e adjustably fixed to the folding table 6. These points maybe set to any printed mark, rule or other printed part of the sheetwithin the radius of said arms so as to secure the correct folding ofthe sheet to register (i. e. the printed matter) and they are speciallysuited for binders use. These points are what are known as overpoints,and are commonly used as the gage by which the best class of book workis folded, as by their means a sheet can be folded true as regards theprinted matter upon it, whereas, the side and bottom gages, that is thestop gages, only serve to fold a paper truly as regards itself, that isto say, supposing the printing upon a sheet was not square with thesheet itself, by the overpointing, the sheet would be so folded, thatthe printed pages would be exactly true to each other so that whentrimmed in the ordinary way the inaccuracy of the print to the paperwould not be evident, whereas, if the sheet had been folded by stopgages (that is by the edges of the paper itself) it would follow thateach page of print would not come fairly on each page of paper as in theformer instance.

The machines are fitted with both kinds of stops to adapt them for usein either first or second class work.

I may here state that over-pointing is commonly used for book work andstop gages for newspaper work.

f f* are adjustable points carried by the inclined folding knife f whichmay be set to two dots printed in the margin on the inner side of thesheet for the purpose of folding to register (2'. e. to the edges of theprinted matter) and they are specially suited to printers use. Ihesedots take the place of the ordinaryperforations by needle points on theform and can be easily printed, thus avoiding the piercing of the sheetand the laceration of the rollers and blankets consequent on the use ofperforating points.

I will now describe the three-fold folding machine parts of which areshown at Figs. 11 to 15. The said machine is constructed on similarlines to those of the two-fold folding machine so far as the first andsecond folds are concerned, but made to the necessary proportions, andinstead of the sheet passing direct from the rollers h it past thefacing bar 7 or guide lc to the sloping collecting trough'Z, I in thiscase interpose between the rollers h and collecting trough Z, means foreffecting a third fold. For this purpose I employ guide rollers hparallel with the rollers h and I pass conducting tapes it around therollers h h to conduct the doubly folded sheet oppos'ite a pair offolding rollers r r and between and against adjustable stops 8 s.

When the sheet has arrived against such stops the third folding knife 25presses it between the folding rollers r 7", which complete the thirdfold. In connection with these rollers v r is a third-or conductingroller 0", around which and around the upper roller 1" conducting tapesr are passed. The conducting roller 1" is driven as follows. It has onits axis a pulley r around which passes a gut 7", which latter alsopasses around guide pulleys r r and around a driving pulley v fixed onthe driving shaft 12.. Said roller 1" communicates motion to the lowerroller '1" by toothed gearing r and to the upper roller 7" by means ofthe tapes 0*, which latter, by bearing partly. around the lower roller1*, act to bend the folded edge of the sheet downward and thereby todirect it past the facing bar or guide 70 into the sloping gatheringtrough Z, where it is acted upon by a pusher m and added to thecollection in the gathering trough Z in a similar manner to thatdescribed with respect to the two-fold folding machine except that thepusher m in the three-fold machine acts to push the folded sheets in thecontrary direction to that of the two-fold machine. The third foldingknifet is carried by arms 25 fixed to an axis t to one of such arms ispinjointed. one. end of a link 25 whose other end is loosely jointed toone arm of a crank t the other arm of which is loosely connected to oneend of a connecting rod i whose other end is loosely connected to theupper end of a lever i This lever i is mounted on an axis of motion tattached to the frame of the machine and the lower end of such lever isacted upon by a cam 25 to give the required motions to the folding knifet, which latter, by its weight, keeps the lever 15 up to the cam t Thepusher 'm used in connection with the two-fold machine is made in twoparts capable of sliding on dovetail guides on fixed to the back m,'which latter is provided with two pinions an acting in combinationwith racks m on the sliding parts, thereby enabling the pusher to beadjusted in width as may be required. The pusher m used with thethreefold machine is similarly made and adjustable in width but on oneside only.

I have not thought it necessary to give further drawings or descriptionof the threefold folding machine as the construction and operation ofsuch machine will he clearly understood from the drawings anddescription of the two-fold machine combined with the drawings anddescription of the complementary parts of the three-fold machine.

By the above described arrangements of folding machines, the paper, fromits first fold to its deposit in the collecting trough, is kept insubstantially vertical planes, except at the moment of passing betweenthe third pair of folding rollers, and it is delivered direct from thelast folding rollers of either a two-fold or threefold machine into thecollecting trough knocked-up to an even edge.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secureby Letters Patent is- 1. A folding machine comprising a suitable framehaving a slightly inclined table, and a folding board still furtherinclined and having an opening in line with the table a driving shaft, acam-shaft located at one side of the frame and connected with thedrivingshaft, the inclined rocking axis mounted in bearings at one sideof the folding board, provided with arms carrying an inclined foldingknife, the curved lever fixed to the axis, the

link having a forked lower end straddlingthe 4o cam-shaft and providedwith a truck, the cam fixed to the cam-shaft, and providing a hearingfor the truck,theinclined upper gripping rollers mounted in bearingsbeneath the folding board and receiving the folded sheet pressed betweenthem by the folding knife, the lower inclined rollers, the tapes workingover the upper and lower rollers for guiding the folded sheet, theinclined support for the folded sheet, the upwardly extending inclined5o rollers, the upwardly extendinginclined knife for pressing the foldedsheet between the upwardly extending inclined rollers, the facing guidebar, and the right angled sloping gathering trough, and the pusher;substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the upwardly extending inclined deliveryrollers; of the facing guide bar, the right angled sloping gatheringtrough placed at right angles to the delivery rollers, and the pusher,the pusher-rod having an inner part formed of angular section and anouter part of circular section, the bearin gs for the two parts of therod, the collar fixed to the outer part carrying a pin,thecrank-leverhavin g an arm formed with a slot through which the pinpasses, the vertical lever, a link connecting the levers, a cam-shafthaving a cam bearing on the vertical lever and means for returning thepusher; sub- 7c stantially as described.

ALFRED BRADLEY.

Witnesses:

B. J. B. MILLS, CLAUDE K. MILLS, Patent Agents, 23 SouthamptonBuildings,

London.

